


Chances

by Joham_Fate



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Headcanon, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2018-03-11
Packaged: 2019-03-29 17:23:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13931754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joham_Fate/pseuds/Joham_Fate
Summary: "There is no such thing as chance."My take on the meeting and history of Joseph Tate and Graham Foster.





	Chances

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone,
> 
> You may know me as Joham-Fate on Tumblr, or as JohamisFate on Twitter.
> 
> Here is an idea I had concerning how Joe and Graham met, and how they came to where they are now.
> 
> Hope you enjoy. :)

An eighteen year old Joseph Tate had just signed the papers for an Apartment on East Laithgaite, and quite happy with his new home, had decided to browse the local area, looking for a somewhat decent place to grab a coffee. And he hoped rather soon God willing, as it had started raining pretty much the moment he had left his apartment complex.

His first thoughts were to head to the nearest Costa, recommended to him by the letting agent, eager to find refuge from the rain. 

He was hoping to find a niche coffee house, which might become his regular. No doubt he would be requiring a lot of caffeine in the coming months, as he started his University Degree, and it wouldn't do to have rubbish coffee. 

Costa seemed a good one to place his bet on for great quality.

He catches a glimpse of a sign from the corner of his eye, a square stand with "Chances" written across it in a large clear font.

He looks across the road to see the building it is advertising, and notices it is a rather small establishment, it's exterior unique in that it is made up of cobblestones, quite a contrast to the mundane grey bricks of the other shops and offices.

His interest piqued, he crosses the road to take a closer look. There is a mahogany door with stained glass, which stands to the right of a cosy looking window, which is bedded out in white blinds and carmine awnings.

Peaking through the window, he notices that the Cafe is fairly empty, save for a young woman occupied with a book, and a couple sat by the counter, chatting to the waiter.

Deciding that the establishment seemed alright, and since he was becoming more drenched the longer he stood in the street, Joe decided to find warmth within.

Well, he tried to anyway. 

He had only managed to push the door open a few inches, before he was met with an obstruction and a soft grunt. 

In suprise, Joe quickly pulled the door closed again, and swiftly made the choice to just keep walking. 

He didn't manage to get very far, when he heard the door open, and a deep voice call out, almost monotone,

"Are you coming in or not?"

Somewhat embarrassed, Joe turned around to face his enquirer.

The man in question was dark haired, and looked to be in his early forties. He was wearing an apron around his waist, so Joe presumed he worked at the cafe.  
His face was schooled into what Joe considered to be a bored expression.

Moving closer, Joe noticed that the man had brown eyes, which right now were ardently fixed upon his own.

"Sorry, was that you I attacked with the door?"

The man didn't respond straight away, but openly let his gaze travel over Joe's body from head to toe. No doubt taking in his sodden appearance.

The older man inclined his head to the left, guestering to building.

"I would recommend the Vanilla Latte."

With that, he turned and opened the door, holding it ajar for Joe.

Taking the invitation at face value, Joe stepped over the thresh-hold, and into the warmth, nodding at the dark haired man in thanks.

Glancing around, Joe saw that the other occupants in the room were watching him with slight amusement. 

The woman with the book gave him a a small smile, before turning back to her reading.

"What can I get you, young man?"

Joe turned towards this new voice, and headed over to the counter, where the waiter was stood with a smile on his face. The man was elderly, with snow white hair and blue eyes.  
Looking at the man's name tag, Joe read that the kindly waiter was called George.

"Good morning, George. I'm told your Vanilla Lattes are especially good." Joe replies with a small smile in return.

George softly chuckles and nods, already grabbing a glass and preparing the warm beverage. He throws a glance or two to Joe, as he works.

"Graham tell you that did he?" George asks, although Joe had a feeling that the question was rhetorical.   
He felt obliged to answer anyway, though with a question of his own.

"Graham?" 

George nodded towards Joe, and figuring that George must be referring to someone behind him, Joe turns to look over his shoulder.

It was the employee who he had spoken to before, fairly obvious, Joe now thought. Who else could George have been speaking of?

The man in question was currently speaking to the woman, probably asking if everything was okay. Perhaps sensing he was being watched, Graham turned his head in their direction, his gaze settling briefly upon Joe, before turning back to his customer.

"Oh, Graham?" Joe spoke, his voice a little high. Clearing his throat, he thinks it would be best to answer George's question.  
"Yeah, he was quite accommodating, you know, for a guy who had just been attacked by a door."

George let out another laugh, his eyes sparkling. Joe couldn't help but smile again, there was something contagious about the elderly man's laugh.

"He's not all bad, our Graham.   
Isn't that right, old boy?"

Again, George is looking passed Joe, towards the man, who Joe now knows to be Graham.

"You are too kind, George." Graham's replies, his voice low. 

Joe watches as Graham glances up, distracted from the table he was now wiping down. 

The man's face is as expressionless as before.   
However, it's his eyes which give him away. Joe is quick to recognise the sadness emanating from the warm brown irises. It's the kind of pain, which would only be be noticeable by another, who is also experienced with a long suffering depression. 

Joe cannot help but wonder why Graham is so sad. True, he only met the man ten minutes ago, but he had to admit that he didn't want Graham to be sad. And he had a funny feeling that it wasn't anything to do with their collision earlier.

It's strange, but this older man had taken a firm grasp in Joe's mind, and they had only exchanged a handful of words. There is just something about Graham, which piques his curiosity. 

Joe isn't ashamed to acknowledge that Graham is quite a handsome man, if a bit rugged around the edges. His very presence emits an aura of mystery, and Joe finds that he is drawn towards him. Almost like being drawn into a trance of some sort.

It is only when a cough breaks through into his hearing, that Joe suddenly becomes uncomfortablely aware that he and Graham had yet to break eye contact.

Joe becomes somewhat unnerved as he realises that he had been so caught up in his thoughts, that he had just been staring into a strangers eyes. And still is for that matter. Though, it might be noted, Graham is staring back.

At the same time, Graham and Joe look away. Both looking like a school boy who had just been caught red handed. Joe quickly returns his attention back to George, who is patiently waiting behind the counter, with a smile on his face.

There is a Latte in front of George, and Joe remembers that it was he who ordered it. 

Shaking his head, Joe smiles and pulls his wallet out of his jacket, handing a five pound note to George.

"Keep the change." Joe says, collecting his drink, before walking over to a vacant table, which Graham has finished cleaning. 

He flashes Graham a smile as he passes by him.

Once sat down, relieved of his wet jacket, which is now hanging on the back of his chair, Joe takes a sip of the hot liquid. 

It's good, Joe conceeds, his eyes following Graham's movements around the room.

To be continued...

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. :)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this first chapter.
> 
> Please let me know if you would be up for a second part?
> 
> God bless you. :)


End file.
